Machine for applying labels about deformable articles such as balls of yarn



April 25, 1950 v. LOBASSO 2,504,993

MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS ABOUT DEFORMABLE ARTICLES SUCH AS BALLS 0F YARN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1948 vmcim LOBASSO INVENTOR.

unl umn l H ill I Ill ATTORNEY April 25, 1950 v. LOBASSO I MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS ABOUT DEFORMABLE ARTICLES SUCH AS BALLS OF'YARN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1948 INVENTOR. VlNCENT LOBASSO ATTO RN EY April 25, 1950 v. LOBASSO 2,504,993

MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS ABOUT DEFORMABLE 7 ARTICLES SUCH AS BALLS OF YARN 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 19, 1948 JNVENTOR. VIN(ENT LO BASSO ATTORN LY Patented Apr. 25, 1950 UNITED STATES OFFICE MACHINE FOR APPLYING LABELS ABOUT DEFORMABLE ARTICLES SUCH AS BALLS OF YARN This invention relates to improvements in label ailixing machines and, more especially, to a machine for applying labels circumferentially about the body of articles such as balls of yarn, twine and the like.

The application of labels to deformable articles such as wound balls of yarn presents special problems and difficulties which are not encountered with relatively rigid and shape-sustaining articles since the former are readily distorted and do not ordinarily retain a fixed, predetermined shape allowing a label to be extended thereabout and to be retained thereon.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a machine for applying labels to articles of the character indicated wherein the articles may be supported on specially designed holder elements preventing deformation of the article during the label afl'ixing operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a label affixing machine wherein the articles are successively conveyed to a label aflixing station where a label may be extended about both the article and the holder element upon which it is supported, the labeled article being subsequently ejected from its holder element by a throwout 0r ejection mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine wherein the holder elements are constructed and arranged in such a manner as .to be readily accessible for the reception of articles thereon in the preliminary loading phase of the operation of the machine and which are automatically retained in closed, operative condition during the subsequent labeling and ejection operations.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages of the invention will readily appear in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein: p

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view illustrating the action oi. the throwout or ejection mechanism as seen from the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the holder elements;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the holder element;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of the invention; and

3 Claims. (Cl. 216-57) Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the modification of Fig. 6.

Considered broadly and in general terms, the invention comprises an intermittently operated conveyor system including a plurality of individual holder elements upon which the articles may be supported. Each holder element includes an upper and lower arm between which the article is mounted. The upper arm is preferably tiltable and is elevated during the loading phase by being engaged against a pair of inclined guide rails whereupon the article to be labeled is conveniently placed upon the lower arm of the holder element. Each article supported upon its holder element is successively conveyed to a label affixing station where a label is extended about both the article and the holder arms during the rest period of the conveyor. The mechanism for extending, overlapping and securing the label is described in my Patent No. 2,179,264, issued November 7th, 1939, and will not be detailed here since it does not form the subject matter of the present invention. After the label has been affixed circumferentially about each article and the holder arms, the articles are conveyed to a subsequent station to be ejected from the holder elements as labeled articles by the action of a throwout mechanism actuated during the conveyor rest period. The upper and lower holder arms contact minimum portions of. the periphery of each article, such as a ball of yarn, so as to effectively support the article and prevent deformation and distortion as the label is applied about the article and holder arms, and yet to facilitate subsequent ejection of the labeled article by the throwout mechanism.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-5 of the drawings, the machine is shown as including a frame indicated generally by numeral Ill and supporting a conveyor in the form of a pair of endless chains H mounted on sprocket wheels l2 which are journaled on said frame. A plurality of holder elements l3 are uniformly spaced along conveyor chains 1! I for supporting the articles to be labeled.

such as the yarn balls l4.

As clearly shown in Figs. 4. and 5 each holder element :3 preferably comprises a mounting arm '55, which is fixed to chains H as by riveting or welding, a main, plate [6 and upper and lower arms I] and I8 secured to said main plate. In order to accommodate articles of varying sizes lower arm I8 is slidable within a slot is of plate It and may be secured in a given adjusted position as by means of a wing nut 20 to vary the height of the holder element. Further, the efiective depth of the holder may be varied by means of an adjustable spacer or piston 2% slidable within mounting arm 15. Upper arm !'l is tiltable, being pivotally mounted on plate I5 and hem normally urged to closed, horizontal position by means of a spring 22. A roller 23 is carried by a rearward extension of upper arm I! and a pair of rollers 2e are carried at the lower end of plate it adjacent the sides thereof. Plate H5 is rotatably supported on mounting arm i5 in order to maintain each holder I3 in upright position throughout the cycle of movement .of conveyor chains Ii. Rollers 23 and 24 engage against suitably dis-posed guide rails attached to frame 98, as will be more fully described, and serve combinedly with the rotatability of plate It to maintain the holder elements iii in upright position. Upper and lower arms H and i8 are. preferably transversely curved as indicated to conform to the contour of the yarn ball i l or other article.

As has been previously mentioned, guide rails arefixed to the frame of the machine at the top, bottom and sides thereof to maintain holder elements. IS in upright position during the movement of conveyorchains ll. Thus a pair of horizontal upper .guide .rails 25 engage the r less 24 attaohedto main plate It of each holder element. A pair of inclined upper guide rails 25 engage the rollers 23 in order to tilt each of the upper arms I! upwardly to open position and facilitateloading the holder elements with articles to be labeled, as .clearly shown in Figs. .1, 2 and 4.- As loadediholder elements 13 pass from the loading .Zone vandclear inclined guide rails 26 to pass downwardly in a vertical path on the right .side of the .machine, the upper arm 1] of eachholderelementis urged to closed/horizontal position by the action of spring 22. The holder elements [,3- are ..maintained in upright position during their downward motion bya pair of vertical guide rails 2? which. engagerollers 24 of main plate i5. Apair of horizontal lower rails 28 engage lower rollers 2t and an auxiliary horizontal rail 29. engages mounting arm .15 of each holderelement-during.the movement of the holder elements is across the bottomof the machine. Said holder elementsare guided in their upward travel on the left side of the machine. by vertical guide rails 21a acting against lower rollers 25 in .the sam manner as vertical guide rails '21. on the right side of the machine. The .holder elements are then conveyed to the loadingzone at the top of the machine to be reloaded .and to repeat the cycle of operations.

Holder elements. it loaded with yarn balls 14 or other articles are successively conveyed to the label a-iiixiir station defined by cooperating guides 39 by imparting intermittent movement to conveyor chains it so that a-loaded holder el.e mentwill be'disposed in label afiixing position between said guidesduring the rest period of the conveyor. A label 3i" (see Figs. 2 and 3-) Lee tended -circumierentially about the article id-and th holder arms l7 and i8, overlapped and'the ends of the label secured together at the label afiixingqstation. The ap lication .of the label maybeaccomplished substantially in themanner disclosed-in my Patent. No. 2,179,264.. Intermittent movement may be imparted to the conveyor chains i-i in any desired manner. Figs. J. and 2 illlustrate means for accomplishing this efiect comprising a pairof hooks .32 .engageable between the links .of chains Ii and carried by a rod. 33

secured to a crank arm t l carried by a gearwheel 35 mounted on the frame of the machine. A driving gear 35 carried on a shaft 31 and actuated intermittently from any suitable power source (not shown) is connected to gearwheel 35 by a chain 38. Rod 3-3 and books 32 are maintained in a vertically reciprocating path by a vertical guide member 39 (see Fig. l) secured to the frame of the machine.

A throwout or ejection mechanism is provided for removing labeled articles from holder elements. iiiafter labels. have been applied at the label afiixing station of the machine. The operation of this mechanism is controlled by a cam M} mounted on a shaft 5! which preferably operates with a helical groove e2 which receives a follower 33 carried at the end of a rocking lever as fulcrumed on a bracket 35 secured to the frame of the machine. Th free end of lever M is preferably forked, as shown at it in Fig. 3, toreceive a roller A? carried by a holder ea piv- .oted at its lower end to the frame of the machine, as shown at 4-9. An ejector fork 58 is slid-able within holder ii, and carries a roller movable in a fixed path within a guide box or frame secured to the frame of the machine. As clearly-shown in Fig. 3, ejector fork 59 is actuated by rocking lever at to move upwardly and forwardly against a yarn ball or other suitable article supported in a holder element is with a label as extending about the article and the upper and lower holder arms .illand 58, thereby ejecting te labeled article from the holder el ment. In order to accomplish this purpose guide box 52 isprovided with .an inclined guide rail and anangular guide-piece 54.. Thus as lever t4 carries holder 4.8 forwardly .(or to the right as seen in Fig. .3') ,.roller 5! rideson guide rail to elevated ejector fork so to the proper level for ejecting of the labeled article. lower holder arm it maybe cut away, posteriorly as shown at. -lfla, to provide clearance for ejector fork ill At the. forward limit of its travel roller 55 clearsangular guide-piece 5 4 whereupon ejector fork .50 drops by gravity within holder es and .is carried rearwardly by lever 34 .toits initial rest position preparatory to the ejection of the next article. In order to permit the restoration of the ejector fork .toits. initial rest position, in clined guide rail 531s pivoted .atits upper end as shown at 55 and may be urged downwardly to theoperative position of Fig. 3 bya light tension spring (not shown-)..

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of the invention Wherei-na wheel or conveyor 6!] is rotatably mounted on a bearing 6! secured to a frame "#32. A plurality of holder elements 63 are rotatably mounted on the rim; of wheel 63. Each holder element comprises a mounting arm 6 a main plate fixed to said mounting arm, a lower adjustable arm 65 and a tiltable upper arm 65 fixed -to-said-mainplate Mounting arm 64 is provided with a slid-able spacer-or piston 6% to vary the effectivedenth of each holder element and :in order to accommodate articles of varying size. The holder elements are. maintained in upright position as the'wheelis caused to rotate by means of a counterweight 5-? secured to the rear end of-eaoh mounting arm.

In. order to provide for loading the holder elements $3 with yarn balls l l-oro-ther articles, a pair or inclined, cLu'ved guide rails 68 are disposed at the top of the machine on a, frame bracket 69. Saidguide rails'engage a roller iii carried by a rearward .extensionof each upper arm 65 and tilt said arm to the open position of Fig. 6 for the reception of a yarn ball It on the lower arm 65 of each holder element 63.

Loaded holder elements 63 are successively conveyed to the label aiiixing station of the machine defined by cooperating guides 30 by imparting in termittent or stepwise motion to the wheel 60. The stepwise rotation of wheel or conveyor 66 may be accomplished through the agency of a reciprocating hook H successively engageable with one of a plurality of notches l2 uniformly spaced about the periphery of wheel 30. Hook H is mounted on a rod 13 secured to a crank arm 14 carried by a crank-wheel 15 mounted on a driveshaft 16. Rod 13 extends through a slot l! in a guide member 18 supported on the frame of the embodiment of the invention. Accordingly, the M component elements of the ejection mechanism have been indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 with primed numerals corresponding to those of the initial embodiment. Ejector fork as is actuated by the rocking lever 44' and helically grooved cam 43' to eject a labeled article from each holder element 63 during the rest period of the wheel or conveyor 60, as has been previously described.

Since certain additional modifications may be made in the label affixing machine of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a label afiixing machine of the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, a conveyor having a plurality oi? holder elements for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element comprising a pair of opposed arms contacting portions of the peripheral surface of the article to prevent deformation thereof while a label is being extended about the article and said holder arms by said label-applying means, and ejection means operable to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of said conveyor remote from said label-applying means.

2. In a label affixing machine of the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, an intermittently operated conveyor having a plurality of holder elements for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element comprising a pair of opposed arms contacting portions of the peripheral surface of the article to prevent deformation thereof while a label is being extended about the article and said holder arms by said label-applying means and ejection means including a swingable forked member operable during the rest period of the conveyor to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of the conveyor remote from said label-applying means.

3. In a label afiixing machine of the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, a conveyor having a plurality of holder elements for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element comprising a pair of opposed upper and lower arms contacting portions of the peripheral surface of the article to prevent deformation thereof while a label is being extended about the article and said holder arms by said label applying means, the upper arm of each holder element being tiltable upwardly to open position and normally urged downwardly to closed operative position, guide means engageable against said upper arm during a portion of the movement of the conveyor to hold said arm in tilted position for loading each holder element with an article, and ejection means operable to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of said conveyor remote from said label applying means.

4. In a label afiixing machine of the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, an intermittently operated conveyor having a plurality of holder elements for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element comprising a pair of opposed upper and lower arms contacting portions of the peripheral surface of the article to prevent deformation thereof while a label is being extended about the article and said holder arms by said label applying means, the upper arm of each holder element being tiltable upwardly to open position and normally urged downwardly to closed operative position, guide means engageable against said upper arm during a portion of the movement of the conveyor to hold said arm in tilted position for loading each holder element with an article, and ejection means including a swingable forked member operable during the rest period of the conveyor to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of said conveyor remote from said label applying means.

5. In a label affixing machine of the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, an intermittently operated endless chain conveyor, a plurality of holder elements uniformly spaced along said chain conveyor for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element comprising a mounting arm fixed to said chain conveyor, a vertical member rotatable on said mounting arm and a pair of upper and lower horizontal holder arms secured to said vertical member for contacting portions of the peripheral surface of the article to prevent deformation thereof while a label is being extended about the article and said holder arms by said label applying means, ejection means including a swingable forked member operable during the rest period of the chain conveyor to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of the conveyor remote from said label applying means and a crank actuated, reciprocating hook member alternately engageable within and disengageable from the links of said chain conveyor, whereby to advance said holder elements towards said label applying means and said ejection means in a stepwise manner.

6. In a label aflixing machine of the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, an intermittently operated endless chain conveyor, a plurality of holder elements uniformly spaced along said chain conveyor for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element comprising a mounting arm fixed to said chain conveyor, a vertical member rotatably on said mounting arm and a pair of upper and lower horizontal arms secured to said vertical member for contacting portions of the 7 peripherafsurface of the article to prevent de formation thereoi whilea label is being extended about the article andsaid' holder arms by said label applying means, the upper arm of each holder element being tiltable upwardly to open position and normally urged downwardly to closed horizontal position, guide means engageable against said upper arm during a portion of the movement of the conveyor to hold said arm in tilted'position for loading each holder element with an article and ejection means including a swingable forked member operable during the rest; periodof' the chain conveyor to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of the conveyor remote from said label applying means.

V 7. ma label affixing machine of the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, an intermittently operated conveyor comprising a rotary member and a plurality of holder elements rotatably mounted thereon for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element'being counter-weighted for being maintained in upright position during the movement of said rotary member, each holder element comprising a pair of opposed upper and lower arms contacting portions of the peripheral surface of the article to prevent deformation thereof while a label is being extended about the article and said holder armsby said label applying means,-ejection means including a swingab-le forked member operable during therest period of said rotary member to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of the conveyor remote from said label-applying means, said rotary member having a plurality of notches'spaced along the periphery thereof and a crank-actuated, reciprocating hook member successively engageablewithin each of said notches, whereby to advance said holder elements toward said label applyin means-and said ejection means in a stepwise manner.

8. Ina labelafiixing machineof the type having means for applying labels circumferentially about the body of an article, an intermittently operated conveyor comprising a rotary member and a plurality of holder elements rotatably mounted thereon for retaining articles to be labeled, each holder element being counterweighted for being maintained in upright position during the movement of said rotary member, each holder element comprising a pair of opposed upper and lower arms contacting portions of the peripheral surface of the article to prevent deformation thereof while a label is being extended about the article and said holder arms by said label applying means, ejection means including a swingable forked member operable during the rest period of said rotary member to remove a labeled article from its supported position on a holder element at a point in the movement of the conveyor remote from said label applying means, said rotary member having a plurality of notches spaced along the periphery thereof and a crank-actuated, reciprocating hook member successively engageable within each of said notches, whereby to advance said holder elements toward said label applying means and said ejection means in a stepwise manner, th upper arm of each holder element being tilt-able upwardly to open position and normaiiy urged downwardly to closed, operative position, and guide means engageable against said upper arm during a portion of the movement of said rotary member to hold said arm in tilted position for loading each holder element with an article VINCENT LOBASSO.

REFERENCES (JI'IED following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 759,911 Perry May 17, 1904 

